Uta no Love Pistols
by bloody-empress
Summary: Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the mizuchi (rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?
1. The Veiled Heir

Uta no Love Pistols

* * *

Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato

Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the _mizuchi _(rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?

* * *

Chapter 1 – The Veiled Heir

_Thump. Thump._

The soft sounds of footfalls on the tatami mat echoed in the still air of the night. A lone figure walked through the empty hallway of the large manor without a determinable sense of purpose. The pale light of the moon shone through the gaps of the wooden walls—bright and unyielding.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

The footfalls continued for a while before stopping near the manor's inner garden. The moonlight shone brilliantly in that space—the soft lapping of the bamboo fountain went with the melodious chirps of the crickets and cicadas. A breeze played with the leaves of the old cherry blossoms tree in the middle of the garden, making it look like it was dancing along.

A deep sigh broke the stillness.

Hijirikawa Masato sat down on the ledge nearest the garden pond. His pale skin shone underneath the moonlight as he leaned for comfort on a nearby post. Bright blue orbs stared mournfully at the moon's reflection on the water. He let his hand fall towards the water—subtly creating a series of ripples.

_Oh moon of yonder—of love_

_Why I envy your freedom up above!_

His lips finished whispering the verses that appeared in his mind. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of nature around him. Although this particular garden was just one of the many that the manor has, Masato found a different kind of solace within it. During the times of his arguments with his father, forced clan meetings and lessons, Masato would slip away after-hours and comfort himself with the scenery. This was his sanctuary—a place where he could calm his heart and ponder about his life.

Being in a renowned Madararui clan for generations, Masato knew that bearing the Hijirikawa name was a big responsibility—along with being the eldest child. He knew the culture of the Madararui and its implications in the real world. He had to work and uphold the clan's name—however that was not the one problem that had him worrying every night.

Hijirikawa Masato was born half-mermaid and half-_mizuchi_—a first of his kind. A royal mix. He got the mermaid blood from his mother, the only one left in the Madararui world. Mermaids were incredibly rare—comprising only 1% of the Madararui population. Due to this, it was really hard for the bloodline to continue in the next generations. His younger sister Mai, on the other hand, only inherited her father's line which was the _mizuchi_. Knowing his son born of an incredible mix, Mr Hijirikawa did measures (drastic ones if one would suppose) to ensure his son's safety—and success; albeit not considering his son's feelings on the matter.

A heavy seed such as Masato would incredibly attract a lot of fellow Madararui once he had come of age. Fearing this, Mr Hijirikawa forced his son to become one of the normal humans or 'apes': see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil. However, he didn't make Masato a full 'ape' per se—as that would compromise Masato's rearing to be the next clan head. He had only made Masato hide his scent and his soul's appearance (mermaid and _mizuchi_) from other Madararui; as well as being blind to any other possible [inappropriate] lovers. Thus, Masato appeared to be a normal human—but with the right amount of knowledge of the Madararui.

He could still remember that day when he had been first introduced as the eldest child of the Hijirikawa Group. The gala they had attended was filled with a lot of significant people—all in the higher ranks of society. Mr Hijirikawa knew the consequence of making his son 'human'—and that was staining the bloodline with such a lie. There was uproar of disappointment back in that gala. Of the renowned _mizuchi _clan—intermarrying into the royal mermaid family—producing such an offspring—it was blasphemy! The Hijirikawas had faced quite a scandal then—and even though Masato was still young—he understood the first pains of being ostracized by the society. He couldn't make any friends—either Madararui or human. Simply hearing the Hijirikawa name then was a bane.

_It was for your late mother_, his father had said._ We wanted to protect you._

But somehow, as he grew older, Masato thought what if this 'protection' had been further dragging him away from the things that he wanted?

There were a lot of times wherein Masato had come to conflict with his self and identity. Occasionally he had thought of leaving behind his Madararui persona and the Hijirikawa name and become a nobody in society—attaining the freedom a normal young man like him would have; however a part of him still clung on with respect to his father, his younger sister and the greater good of the family.

As much as it pains him every time, he had to sacrifice his selfish desires—for there would come a day when such sacrifices receive the appropriate rewards.

And rewards there had been.

Albeit negative remarks from his father with regards to his interest in music, Masato had pursued this dream. Tomorrow, he would be attending Saotome Academy—his first attempt on the outside world.

_A debacle I must overcome._

The wind blew. Masato clutched at his yukata overcoat. Being born of two water-based Madararui, Masato was weak to the cold. He had a constant necessity for heat. Feeling the chill, he stood up from his resting place and proceeded back into the manor.


	2. The Useless Child

Uta no Love Pistols

* * *

Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato

Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the _mizuchi _(rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?

* * *

Chapter 2 – The Useless Child

"Attend what?"

Jinguji Ren frowned behind his glass of wine. His older brother who sat across him on the dining table did not seem to notice his remark.

"—Saotome Academy wherein you shall study music and become a tool of publicity for the Jinguji family."

Ren replied sarcastically, "That is a new and rather much more crude way of saying I am pretty useless, my dear _onii-san_."

Seiichirou's eyes snapped at him, a glint behind his spectacles. He stopped slicing his steak for a while and motioned towards his brother. "Everything is for the betterment of the Jinguji Group. You should know this fact."

The younger man twitched an eyebrow. He put down his empty glass. "Fine. Whatever." Ren stood up from his chair, chucking the napkin with a rather more force than usual and started to walk towards the door. He cast one last glance back to his older brother.

"It's not like I have any other choice in the matter anyway." The last words were laced with a growl as he twisted the doorknob and walked out of the dining area.

Jinguji Ren paced the dimly-lit hallway, anger and annoyance emanating from every step. If only the floor weren't carpeted, he would probably be creating a whole lot of noise. Damn he wanted to throw something, but doing physical acts of defiance wouldn't change anything now, would it? His brother would only pester him more, probably drag him to the Academy, tied and gagged if need be.

Being the youngest child, Ren could not make the bigger decisions. Everything was influenced and thrown upon by the older, deserving relatives. He was overshadowed by the bond and rights of blood and family order. He was in the unfavourable position from the get-go.

_Your brothers are better._

_ You should be more like them._

_ No wonder you don't get to be the head of the family._

What bullcrap. How many times had people rubbed those criticisms on his face? How many comparisons and disapprovals? How many times had he forced himself to do things based on the standards that other people deemed satisfactory? He was getting tired of it all.

And now, since he had a penchant for music, he'd suddenly been thrown into the frontlines. _Become an idol. Become our public icon. Tool for publicity. _He was considered useless to the point that endorsing the family as an idol was the only way he could redeem himself. Such was politics and business.

It could not be helped, though. The Jinguji Group was a renowned Madararui clan—those of the _inujinnin _or dog-gods. They were composed of mostly of the heavy-seed wolves. A symbol of power—of dominance. The Jingujis were a tough rival in business and categorised in the top tiers of society, along with the Hijirikawas.

But business was the last thing in Ren's worries.

He arrived in his room. It was a handsomely decorated chamber—with tall, paned glass windows opening to a veranda. The chandelier hanging in the centre of the room lit instantly the moment he opened the door. Somehow the sudden light was a bit blinding. He motioned to the side and dimmed the lights. He walked to his bed and let himself collapse on the rich covers.

He thought of his late mother—once a famous idol. Did she wilfully agree to be an idol? Was she not forced back in her days? Was being an idol her lifelong dream? Would he be able to achieve success the way she did then?

True, he had a talent with the saxophone—and he could sing well; but he could not yet sense the deep passion for this in his heart. He felt that everything was all too forced; and when things were forced, it was irrevocably hard to love. How would one progress if he would not be one with task he had yet to accomplish?

Ren ran a hand through his hair tiredly. The wolf in him was eager for such a challenge—but at the same time taunted at the very thought of doing it. Was he going to get anything good out of it at all? Everything would be for the Jinguji Group anyways. _I would only end up as a pawn—used and discarded._

Talk about discarded.

He sat up. He remembered the letter he had carelessly thrown in the bin without even opening it earlier in the morning. The familiar signature and crest of the sender was enough to disgust him but tonight he was going to need to peruse it. It could be important.

It was a letter from the Hijirikawas.


	3. Sancta Terra

Uta no Love Pistols

* * *

Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato

Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the _mizuchi _(rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?

* * *

Chapter 3 – Sancta Terra

_It was a crisp, sunny, Saturday morning. _

_ A boy of seven years ambled along the paved stone paths in the mansion's wide back garden, his strawberry-blond hair flying along in the soft spring breeze. The air smelled of sweet honey and berry. Flower petals were floating around, being buffeted by the wind—like multi-coloured confetti. _

_ The boy skipped along the path, hands outstretched, feeling the tall manicured hedgerows around him in a maze. It was quite a while of running and skipping around before he had reached the centre. _

_ A white domed structure of sorts with laced lattices overgrown with vines stood in the middle of the maze of hedges. Beside it was a rather large marble fountain. The boy gasped in delight at the sight. He ran to it._

_ He approached the trellis gate bordering the entrance to the fountain. It wasn't locked so he pushed it open and walked through. Violets and white chrysanthemums were blooming in rows around him. The sight was so overwhelming. _Brother needs to see this!

_ The boy reached the fountain and started playing around it. He was incredibly enjoying his discovery and ample solitude; however it was then when he had tried walking around the fountain to inspect the sculpture in the middle that he discovered he was not alone._

_ The blond boy could not see who it was since his view was blocked by the high jets of water spouting from the base of the fountain. He was uneasy. He had to approach a little slower. Quieter. _

_ He preceded a few tiny steps. He could see a back of another boy—bent over something. Shyness overcame him for a moment or two. _Was there another child [apart from me] in Papa's company meeting today? _The boy advanced nearer. _

_ The boy could see that the boy had short darker hair—and seemed to be crying over something. An unusual object was protruding from the other boy's lower extremities. The blond boy could not determine what it was but he knew that other people were like 'him' and had the same differences. He puffed out his wolf ears. _

_ Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to speak._

_ "Who are you?"_

_Blue eyes met blue eyes. _

_ "What's your name?"_

_ The latter was too surprised to speak. His pale skin shone in the sunlight filtered by the leaves of the nearby shrubberies. Thick pearly tears ran cascading down his cheeks. _

_ The blond boy inched closer. The other eyed him wearily, hands clenched tight about his thighs._

_ "It's okay. I'm not bad. I'm like you."_

_ As the wolf-boy got closer, he got a better view of his fellow. That unusual thing that was protruding from the other looked like a tail, rather scaly—_

Oh. What did brother call them? _Mizu—mi—mizuchi _was it?But it looks different from the picture books. More like a fish to me—

_"W-what d-do you want?"_

_ The boy noticed the blond's gaze at his tail and he tried his best to inch away from the pursuer by taking a step back towards the trellis. _

_ "Let's play."_

_ The dark-haired youngster looked at him with wondrous eyes. _

_ "It's not pretty to cry around in such a nice secret hideout." The wolf-boy flashed a grin._

_ The latter blushed for a moment and clutched at his blue sweater. "B-but—I need to train—not p-play."_

_ "Train? What's there to train for? If you're talking about our soul appearance—it's okay—we're kids after all," the blond quipped. He grabbed the youngster's hand. "Come on—let's scout the place~!"_

_ The younger kid stared at him for a moment more before wiping his teary eyes with his sleeve. The blond pulled him closer and both of them walked away._


	4. The Strange Letter

Uta no Love Pistols

* * *

Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato

Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the _mizuchi _(rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?

* * *

Chapter 4 – The Strange Letter

Jinguji Ren fished out the slightly crumpled envelope from his empty bin. The crest of the Hijirikawa's at the back leered intimidatingly up at him. He tore it open, taking out the thick paper within.

He cocked an eyebrow. He was expecting a longer message.

_Come, brethren_

_With a secret you must unveil_

_Through time the Heart's gone frozen_

_A hidden heir, a lost tale_

_Cold the nature of the child of the Moon_

_Melt the icy shackles away soon!_

That was all? A poem? Or was it a riddle?

Ren flipped back the letter to see if there were any signatures or marks of the sender. The creamy paper was blank. He checked the envelope. Only the crest was stamped on it. No return address. No footnotes. Not even his name.

_There must be some mistake. No one would send such a strange letter much less from the Hijirikawas. _

_ Much less from _him.

How many years had it been? Years without any contact at all? Three? Five? Ren could not remember. He could not even determine how they, as childhood acquaintances, even fell apart. Well, one could consider their family rivalries a given reason; nonetheless, a sudden contact from the other party would definitely create a storm.

Memories had started to flood in his mind's eye as he recalled his first encounter with the male heir of the Hijirikawa Group. He was nine then. He could only wonder how lucky that 'human' was; although it was really saddening for him to hang out with a non-Madararui. But of course, he was a kid back then. Making friends was as easy as picking out a candy in a store.

Cold, stern eyes stared back at him on their first meeting. For a 'human' born in a completely Madararui clan, he was awed at the other boy's upbringing. He could be well more mature for his age; but Ren wouldn't be intimidated by looks alone.

_"Let's go play in the lake—the party's too boring for kids."_

Ren could just remember how drenched both of them were back then. He did receive a shouting from his father too—but that didn't stop their childhood friendship. It was a first for him—to have a really close non-Madararui friend; although he was really disappointed back during their first meeting. That Hijirikawa boy did resemble the one he met back in the fountain—albeit that boy had been a Madararui. Sad to say he didn't meet him again. But as a child, he was content enough with someone to share experiences and interests. It was only then when they got a little older that both of them realized that their families rivalled each other—and being together would be really obdurate; so they had to separate.

Ren skimmed the letter again. The words were really intriguing. He wasn't used to interpreting poems or solving riddles either. Could this be a prank?

"I should go to brother—" Ren stopped in his tracks. No. He could just imagine what his brother would say on the matter.

_That must have been just a wrongly sent letter. Ignore it. If it were really from the Hijirikawas, they would have sent something with a more formal content. Not some Shakespeare wannabe who didn't even leave a name._

He folded the letter and slid it in one of his desk drawers. Such a mystery could wait.


	5. Be Alright

Uta no Love Pistols

* * *

Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato

Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the _mizuchi _(rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?

* * *

Chapter 5 – Be Alright

_Four hours earlier._

"Masato-oniichan?"

Masato looked up from doing his calligraphy. "Yes, Mai? You can come in."

His little sister, Mai, slid back the door and took a few steps inside—her eyes stared at her older brother in a doleful manner. "Oniichan—"

Noticing this, Masato put down his brush and shifted his seat so that he faced his younger sister. He motioned his arms to her. "What's wrong Mai? Is there something troubling you?"

Mai did not hesitate anymore. She ran towards her brother and buried her face in his arms. "Oniichan! Are you really going to leave?" Her voice shook with tears. Masato was a little taken aback by her words but he hugged her instead, slowly patting her head.

"Mai—I am only going to school. I will not leave you alone," Masato said soothingly. "It will only be for a year."

Mai looked up at him. "But—but—you're going to visit me—right—right? I will miss my only Oniichan."

"There, there, Mai," Masato wiped her cheeks. "Of course I will. You're my beloved little sister." A smile graced his lips.

The younger child sniffed. "I know Oniichan will be facing a lot of troubles. Mai will not be there to help Oniichan. Father is scary—what if Oniichan gets into something bad? Father might get angry! Father is scary when angry! I hate it when he gets angry at Oniichan!" She hugged Masato tighter.

Kids could be really emotional at times—but that didn't mean they couldn't say something important. Masato smiled sadly and hugged back. "It is okay, Mai. Oniichan is strong. I shan't get into any trouble. After all, Oniichan needs to be tough for Mai."

"You always say that so easily, Masato-oniichan," pouted Mai as she let go from the hug. "You remember to take care of your health. Mai could be a resilient _mizuchi_ but Oniichan is a mix. Oniichan gets colder than I do—so don't get careless!" And she tapped both of Masato's cheeks lightly.

Masato stared fondly at his younger sister. He hugged her again. "Thank you, Mai. With your words, I'm sure everything will be alright." Mai smiled widely and hugged her brother one more time. "I'll pray to protect you from here Masato-oniichan. Mai won't let anything bad get to you alone."

After that she bade her older brother goodnight and went out of the room. Masato was left gazing at the closed slide doors for a while. He had such a loving sister.

The ink had dried from the brush when Masato returned to inspect his calligraphy progress. He decided to finish up and pack everything away. The moon was peeking from the small window in his room. Its light was streaming through the panels and on his tatami mat. It would be a nice evening to take a walk.

Masato adjusted his hakama and proceeded out of the room.


	6. Run for a Fall

Uta no Love Pistols

* * *

Pairing: Jinguji Ren x Hijirikawa Masato

Synopsis: Hijirikawa Masato is the only remaining descendant in the ancient Hijirikawa bloodline who inherited the noble mix of mermaid blood and the _mizuchi _(rain dragon or crocodile in non-madararui terms). What happens when the royal heavy seed crosses paths with the powerful lusty wolf that was Jinguji?

* * *

Chapter 6 – Run for a Fall

_"You are very warm, you know."_

_ Those were the last words he had heard from that lovely playmate of his. He didn't see him again for a year and a half. He wasn't even able to ask for his name!_

_ The young boy slumped on the wall, staring blankly at the polished dance floor. It was another party of sorts. His father, as usual, brought him to be exposed to the community—however as every child would experience—he was bored out of his wits. As he stared at the throngs of talking people in front of him, he saw his father approaching him accompanied by two unknown people. _

_ "Ren, this is Hijirikawa-dono and his son from the Hijirikawa Group. It would be good if you two get along—since both of you are almost of the same age," said Mr Jinguji. Ren's eyes lingered with slight contempt at his father for a while before giving a courteous reply to the other man in front of him. "It's an honour to meet you."_

_ The older man called Hijirikawa gave a satisfied nod at the blond boy and motioned to his son, who was lingering behind his legs the whole time. "Masato, come out and send your greetings." _

_ Ren looked curiously as the boy slowly walked up front. Short dark hair. Pale skin. It was him! Wait—but something was a little off. He smelled—peculiarly human compared to the boy he had met a year ago._

_ "Hajimemashite. My name is Hijirikawa Masato," the boy bowed deeply. "It's a pleasure to meet you." A pale hand was extended towards Ren. The blond boy shook it warily. The Hijirikawa boy's eyes didn't have a tinge of interest in him at all. He seemed very cold. _

_ Mr Jinguji mentioned something about talking with the other guests and both older men left the two children. Ren could only gape at their disappearing figures. _Don't leave me with such a kid!

_ The blond boy stole a glance at his partner. The boy called Masato didn't even have the slightest change of expression—however he did have the penchant of clenching and unclenching his pale fists. _Is he nervous too?

_ "Hey—"_

_ Blue eyes met his. But they were hollow—lifeless. They seemed devoid of emotions._

_ "Hmm?"_

_ "Have I met you before? In some party a year ago? You look familiar."_

_ Blue eyes bored on him like ice._

_ "This is my first time going out. I don't know other kids."_

_ Silence. _

_ That was unusual. Ren could've sworn it was the same boy back then. There was one other thing he could ask to confirm his suspicions._

_ "You're a Madararui, right?"_

_ Masato's eyebrow's scrunched at the question. "I'm sorry—I didn't catch you. Were you saying something?"_

_ Disappointment hit Ren like an oncoming bullet. He gulped and tried again. "You're a Madararui, right? A _mizuchi _or something like that?"_

_ The other boy tilted his head. "Hmm?"_

_ This did it. He couldn't get any Madararui-related answer from a human. They're blind, deaf and mute to all matters regarding Madararui after all. Ren sighed. This had been a feeble attempt. _

_ The music in the dance hall swelled—and dancers started to litter the centre of the hall. Ren was getting impatient with boredom; and the other boy was not even intent on striking a conversation with him at all. He just kept staring straight ahead to god-knows-what. _

_ "Aren't you bored?"_

_ Blue eyes snapped at him with a slight glint of surprise. Looking down, Masato replied quietly, "I could say I am slightly jaded."_

Jaded? Is that bored too? _Ren was a little baffled at the boy's choice of words. Who would use such grown-up vocabulary? He exhaled and decided to put up with it. After all—it looked like they were the only kids around in that party. The boredom was killing him. He took the other boy's hand._

_ "Let's go play in the lake—the party's too boring for kids."_

_ Masato's features softened at Ren's words—but he slowly shook off the other boy's hand. "Y-you shouldn't be touching me—I'm—"_

_ "Cold?" Ren chuckled. "It's the middle of autumn—some people are sensitive to it. It's okay—come on!" He grabbed Masato's arm this time and they both walked out of the dance hall._

_ The grounds were indescribably huge—with a man-made lake at the centre. The two boys ran on the cobblestone paths lined with flowering bushes, with the taller blond occasionally poking at his new playmate. Masato, on the other hand, was trying his best to be composed but somehow, Ren's playful personality brought him smiling and laughing too._

_ Seeing Masato open up, Ren got even more confident. They had arrived a few minutes near the lake's bank. Ren took off his shoes and waddled into the water. The water was already at Ren's knees when he turned around and saw his playmate still on the bank. _

_ "Come on! The water's nice—"_

_ The other boy looked nervously at the sides. "But—"_

_ "It's okay! We're not going to stay long~ Or do you want me to drag you in now?" And Ren splashed back to where Masato was. Seeing what Ren was about to do, Masato hurriedly sidetracked—slipped out of his shoes and dipped a foot into the water._

_ "All right! I-I'll get in—! J-just don't drag me so—" _

_ Ren guffawed; his rich voice breaking the stillness of the air around them. "Then get in now!" Masato pouted slightly before slowly dragging his other foot into the water; but before he could do so, Ren had come up to him and pulled him into the water; sending both splashing into the depths. _

_ An awkward silence befell them before both boys burst into laughter. They were drenched and yet they continued for what seemed like hours—the sound of giggles and playful cries lingering in the night air. _


End file.
